Method of steaming tobacco-beds.



J. H. JOHNSON. METHOD OF STEAMING TOBACCO BEDS.

' Patented Mar. 26, 191 2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. H. L. JOHNSON.

METHOD OF BTBAMING TOBACCO BEDS.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 10, 1911.

1,021,530. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

2 SHEBTB-BHEET 2.

mm MHZ-1,012,260,

WWW

(panel) sT 'rns PATENT oF IoE.

JOHN H. L. JOHNSON, 0F SPBINGFIELD, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR T0 SPRINGFIELDPLANT- BED STE'AMING COMPANY, OF SPRING-FIELD, TENNESSEE.

METHOD OF STEAMING TOBACCO-BEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed May 10, 1911. Serial No.- 626.323.

,of Steaming Tobacco-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an imiroved method of steaming tobacco, bedsor the purpose of sterilizing the soil and destroying IlOXlOllS weedsand other foreign vegetation and animal life, preparatory to plantingthe tobacco crops.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to sterilize soil, prior toplanting, byplacing a shallow perforated pan containing a steam pipe, on the surfaceof hard or untilled ground and subsequently shoveling loose soil overthe pan to form a mound, the steam from the pipe being dischargedupwardly through the soilcovering the pan to effect the sterilization ofthe soil. Such a method is objectionable in that the loose earth tendsto clog the perforations in the steam pipe and prevent the discharge ofsteam and also by reason of the fact that the steam only asses throughthe soil in one direction.

oreover, as the pan must be banked or covered with earth each time thesoil is steri lized, it necessarily follows that considerable labor isinvolved which renders the treatment of the soil, in this manner,objectionable. It has also been pro osed to sterilize the soil byembedding a f oraminated pan or box beneath the surface of the groundand forcing steam upwardly through the soil to the surface thereof. Thismethod is also objectionable in that the pan must be embedded or buriedin'the round before the steam can act on the soil and also by reason ofthe fact that the steam, after passing through the soil to the surfacethereof, is allowed to escape and is thus wasted.

The present method of treating soil contemplates the employment of anopen bot tom hood or casing adapted to rest directly on the uppersurface of previously prepared or tilled ground, steam being admitted tothe hood, at suflicient pressure to cause the steam to pass downwardlythrough the loose surface soil and in contact with the subjacent hardstratum of earth so as to thoroughly sterilize said loose soil.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one formof apparatus for carrying out the present invention; Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view of the steaming hood; Fig. 3 is a transversesecs tional view.

In carrying the present method into effect,

the surface of the tobacco bed, to be treated or sterilized, is firstthoroughly cleaned so as to remove stones, twigs and other foreignparticles, after which the ground is prepared for planting by plowingand pulverizing the soil, thereby to obtain stratum 5 of relativelyloose light soil. through which steam may be forced, and a hardersubstratum ('1, of clay or the like, which acts as an abutment orbarrier to the passage of the'steam and causes the latter, when comingincontact therewith, to be deflected upwardly through the soil to thesurface thereof. The steam is confined witha surface in a hood or casing7 having an open bottom 8 and a marginal cutting edge 9 adapted to bepressed into the upper surface of the loose stratum 5, a small quantityof earth being subsequently banked around the cutting edge of the hoodin order to prevent the escape of steam when treating the tobacco bed.Steam is conducted from a boiler or generator 10 of any suitableconstruction. through the 'medium of a pipe 11 to the interior of-thehood or casing 7, it being preferred to pass the perforated dischargeend of the pipe beneath the cutting edge of the hood, as shown,although, if desired, the

pipe 11 may enter the hood from the top. sides or. ends thereof withequally good results. A valve 12 is preferably connected in the pipe orconductor 11 near the boiler for the purpose of controlling the flow ofsteam from the boiler to said casing. It is to be understood that thehood or casing [is steam tight, so that the fluid cannot escape andconsequently will be forced downwardly through the surface soil 5. Thehood 7 is preferably provided with oppositely disposed handles 14 forconvenience in lifting said hood when transferring the same from oneplat to another. If desired. an auxiliary heat retainin hood or casingmay be posiperiod ranging from twenty-five to thirty minutes so as toconfine the heat within the ground and prevent premature chilling of thelatter, especially in cold or windy weather.

In preparing'a tobacco bed for seed plant ing, the ground is firsttreated in the manner described, after which the bent portion of thedischarge end of the pipe 11 is forced into the loose surface soil andthe steaming hood or casing 7 placed direct-1y on the surface of theground to be treated, a slight downward pressure being exerted on thetopof the hood or casing so as to press the cutting edge thereof into theground and a small quantity of loose earth banked around said cuttingedge to prevent the escape'of steam. Steam atsufiicient pressure is thenadmitted to the hood or casing by opening the valve 12 and said steamallowed to discharge into the hood for a period rangin from twenty-fiveto thirty minutes. As the steam passes downwardly through the surfacesoil 5, the fluid willlcome in contact with the hard subjacent stratum6, and as it cannot further penetrate will be deflected upwardly throughthe surfacesoil and within the hood, which latter serves to confine thesteam over the area being treated, a small portion of the steam escapingaround the cutting edge of the hood, as shown, thus in c act subjectingthe surface soil to a continuous circulation of steam flowing inopposite directions. If itis desired to retain the heat within thegroundfor a longer period, the fluid pipe or conductor is swung laterally andthe hood 7 removed and placed over another portion or plat-of the bed,the plat or portion of ground previously sub- Jected to thevaction ofered by the auxiliary hood, before re erred to, which latter is allowedto stay in position thereon from twenty-five to thirty'minutesso' as toexterminate germs and noxious seeds and plants of all descr ption, thisoperation being continued until the entire surfaceof a tobacco bed issterilized.

' If desired, the tobacco bed may be covered with manure or fertilizerprior to placin the steaming hood in position on the be and which eventthe seeds of clover grass and weeds in the manure will be efiec 'oughlysterilized in the soil, said steam the steam, bein cov-' stratum ofearth, cutting ofi tually destroyed. The steam, however, does notdestroy the fertilizing qualities in the manure in any way, but on thecontrary gives the plants a growth and keeps the soil loose and warm soas to cause the plants to eightdays is, treated by methods.

It has been demonstrated by actual experiment that a predetermined areaof the surface'soil of a tobacco cordance with this earlier; than whenthe soil surface burning and other method, may be thorfrom twenty fiveto thirty minutes, this being due to the fadt that the steam is freedirections through the surface soil, as before sta'ted. After thesurface soil of the tobacco bed has been treated in the mannerdescribed, the earth period ranging from twelve totwenty-four hours,when the soil is in condition for planting.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:'

1. The herein described method of treating soil, which consists in firstpreparing the soil to obtain a loose surface stratum, forcing steamdownwardly through the surface soi and in contact ,with the subjacenthard stratum of earth, and subsequently covering the soil thus treatedto retain the heat therein.

2. The herein described method of treating the soil of tobacco'beds,which consists in first preparing steam downwardly through the surfacesoil and in contact with the subjacent hard the steam supply, coveringthe soil previously subjected to the actipn of steam, and subsequentlyremoving the covering means and allowing the soil to cool.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. L. JOHNSON. a 8.]

Witnesses:

J. W. BELL, W. D. Soon.

bed, treated in ac-' to circulate in opposite is allowed t-o'coo'l for ai the soil by tilling the same to obtain a loose surface stratum, forcinto mature approximately from six I

